Top 5 Goalkeepers in Premier League History according to David Seaman
When most people think about who the greatest Premier League goalkeeper of all-time is, a name that will often appear in conversation is David Seaman. The former Arsenal star and England international remains one of his country’s best between the sticks, with very few coming close to reaching the standards he set.
A four-time Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award winner and the recipient of two Premier League Golden Gloves, De Gea amazed with lightning-quick reflexes and incredible feats of goalkeeping that often saved his side from the jaws of defeat. The biggest criticism of him was his distribution, and the focus on that led to a decline in his overall performance as mistakes began to slip into his game. Now at Fiorentina, De Gea has been able to remind the world exactly what he is still capable of.
5 David de Gea
Manchester United
The way in which David de Gea’s career at Manchester United came to an end perhaps tarnishes his legacy in some people’s minds. Never forget though, that when the Red Devils needed a hero in some of their darkest times, it was the Spaniard who stepped to the plate.
4 Alisson Becker
Liverpool
Despite the fact that Alisson is currently considered to be the best goalkeeper on the planet, it is not enough for the Liverpool number one to be any higher than fourth on Seaman’s list. The Brazilian was the final piece of the puzzle at Anfield, replacing Loris Karius after the German’s calamitous display in the 2018 Champions League final.
As calls for David de Gea’s return to Manchester United grow louder, his 2024/25 statistics have been compared with Andre Onana.
3 Ederson
Manchester City
Ederson currently finds himself in limbo at Manchester City for the first time in his Etihad career. The 31-year-old has been in and out of Pep Guardiola’s side of late, and his form is not what it once was, but his unique style of sweeper ‘keeping is what has led to Seaman preferring him over his compatriot Alisson:
Alisson has gone on to become an unmistakable part of the Reds’ success ever since then, with injuries being the only thing to have cursed him since making the switch to English football. However, despite his excellence, Seaman admitted that he preferred another current Premier League star more.
From Manuel Neuer to Jorge Campos, these are the greatest sweeper keepers in football history.
“I just like the way that Ederson plays football, with no frills. With Ederson, he doesn’t have a lot to do and suddenly he has to make a brilliant save. He is always there for that and he’s got an unbelievable left foot.”
The backline under the Special One was practically unbeatable, but even after that, the Czech Republic star continued to dominate for well over a decade, including during his time at Arsenal, where he collected his third and final Golden Glove.
2 Petr Cech
Chelsea and Arsenal
Just missing out on top spot is the legendary Petr Cech. Best known for his incredible years at the top of the game for Chelsea, Cech completely revolutionised goalkeeping in English football as he formed the first part of a watertight defence under Jose Mourinho.
Schmeichel could command the penalty area like no other and backed it up with incredible athleticism, reactions, and a long throw that could start devastating counter-attacks. Not only was he crucial in United’s domination of the 1990s – capping it off with the treble – but without him, Denmark would likely never have come close to winning the 1992 European Championships. Just another sign of Schmeichel’s greatness.
1 Peter Schmeichel
Manchester United, Aston Villa, Manchester City
They may have been rivals during their respective peaks, but Seaman didn’t hesitate to acknowledge Peter Schmeichel as his number one pick. The Great Dane remains the greatest goalkeeper Manchester United have ever had, which is saying something considering the competition he is up against.
